2008 BMW M3 COUPE wheel

Driving
48 3.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page46. This automati-
cally engages transmission position P.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when you perform the
following steps:
1.Insert the remote control, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Engage transmission position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Transmission position P is engaged:
>Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>When you remove the remote control from
the ignition lock
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off an acoustic signal sounds in
addition. The parking brake is still
applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake
lever.
Otherwise, excessive force on the parking
brake can lock up the rear wheels and cause the
rear of the car to swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the parking
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-
ing brake is applied.<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
49
Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance has to be overcome.
M dual clutch transmission
with Drivelogic*
The concept
The M dual clutch transmission with Drivelogic
is an automated manual transmission with two
clutches and a partial transmission in which an
electro-hydraulic system takes over clutch
action and shifting.
With the M dual clutch transmission, gears are
changed without interruption of the traction
force.
The M dual clutch transmission is operated
using the selector lever and two shift paddles
on the steering wheel.
The transmission offers you the following func-
tions:
>Selection between manual and automatic
operation: sequential mode or drive mode
>Selection between different drive pro-
grams, Drivelogic, refer to page52
>Shift Lights, refer to page52
>Automatic downshifting and protection
against selecting the wrong gear even in
sequential mode
>Launch Control, refer to page53
>Automatic throttle blip
>Low Speed Assistant
System limitations
The M dual clutch transmission is equipped
with an overheating protection system that pro-
tects the clutch against extreme loads.
The indicator lamp lights up yellow
when the transmission becomes too
warm. Avoid high engine loads and
driving off frequently. When the transmission is
overheated, the indicator lamp lights up red and
the fuel supply to the engine is cut off. You can-not continue driving until the transmission has
cooled down.
Avoid driving off frequently with high accelera-
tion and do not hold the vehicle on inclines by
pressing lightly on the accelerator while letting
the clutch slip, as this may cause the transmis-
sion to overheat.
In traffic congestion or at very low speeds, use
the Low Speed Assistant, refer to the informa-
tion below.
Low Speed Assistant
The Low Speed Assistant supports you when
driving at very low speeds: the vehicle moves at
walking speed and automatically controls the
engine speed. You can also use the Low Speed
Assistant when rocking the vehicle out of deep
snow. To do so, shift between reverse gear and
the forward position without pressing the brake.
Activating
1.Engage a drive position.
2.Briefly tap the accelerator.
The vehicle rolls at the minimum speed. Do not
press the brake continuously as this may cause
the transmission to overheat.
Deactivating
Brake the vehicle to a stop to deactivate the
Low Speed Assistant.
Selector lever positions
>R: reverse gear

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
51
P Park
P engages automatically when you switch
off the engine unless N is engaged and
the remote control remains in the ignition lock,
refer to page46. As soon as you remove the
remote control from the ignition lock, P
engages regardless of the position of the selec-
tor lever.<
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Engaged gear 1 to 7, R, N, P
2Selected drive program,
corresponds to the number of illuminated
fields, refer to Drivelogic, page52
3The gear currently engaged is displayed
together with a D in drive mode
At very low outside temperatures, this display
may not be functional. The engaged driving
direction is indicated by the LEDs on the selec-
tor lever.
Changing gears
Via the selector lever
>To shift up, pull back the selector lever.
>To shift down, push it forward.
Via the shift paddles on the steering
wheel
>To shift up, pull the right-hand shift paddle
+ briefly.
>To shift down, pull the left-hand shift paddle
– briefly.
Unlocking the transmission lock
manually
If a power failure occurs, e.g. if the battery
is discharged or disconnected, the trans-
mission lock must be released manually, other-
wise the rear wheels are blocked and the vehi-
cle cannot be towed.<
Release the transmission lock manually for tow-
ing only and forcefully apply the parking brake
beforehand to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
After parking the vehicle, lock the transmission
lock again.
Releasing
1.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.
3.Push the black cover forward using the
screwdriver from the onboard tool kit, refer
to page127.

Driving
56
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or
rain sensor
*
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps
5Setting speed for intermittent wipe, or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow 1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to operation in the inter-
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance
point.
The system switches to normal speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor*
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time
between wipes is controlled automatically and
depends on the intensity of the rainfall. The rain
sensor is mounted on the windshield, directly in
front of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating intermittent wipe or rain
sensor
Press the button, arrow3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Setting speed for intermittent wipe or
sensitivity of the rain sensor
Turn knurled wheel5 up or down.
Deactivating intermittent wipe or rain
sensor
Press the button again, arrow3.
The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor before enter-
ing an automatic car wash. Failure to do
so could result in damage caused by undesired
wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield and headlamps
Pull the lever, arrow 4.
Washer fluid is sprayed onto the windshield and
the wipers are operated for a short time.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and
appropriate intervals.
Do not use the washers if there is any
danger that the fluid will freeze on the
windshield. If you do, your vision could be
obscured. Antifreeze should therefore be
added to the fluid, refer to Washer fluid.
Do not use the washers when the washer fluid
reservoir is empty, otherwise you will damage
the washer pump.<

Technology for driving comfort and safety
68
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page99.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Brake assist
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC optimizes driving stability and traction. In
addition, the system recognizes unstable driv-
ing situations such as understeering and over-
steering, and helps keep the vehicle on a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
power and applying the brakes on individual
wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style always remains the responsibility of the
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional
safety margin again by taking risks, as this could
result in an accident.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the DSC OFF button for longer than
approx. 1 second; the indicator lamps for DSC
in the instrument cluster light up. Stabilizing
and drive-output promoting actions are no
longer executed.
You may find it useful to briefly deactivate DSC
under the following exceptional circumstances:
>When driving uphill on snow-covered roads,
in slush or on unplowed, snow-covered
roads
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow or on loose ground
>When driving with snow chains
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the DSC OFF button again; the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
For better control
If the indicator lamp flashes:
DSC is regulating the drive and brak-
ing forces.
If the indicator lamps are on:
DSC is deactivated.
Electronic Damper Control
EDC*
The concept
Whenever there is a change in any significant
parameter such as road surface quality or in an

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
69
operating condition such as steering, braking,
etc., the damping automatically adjusts to the
new conditions in fractions of a second.
You can select between three programs.
"Comfort" program
Select the "Comfort" program if you want com-
fort-oriented control of the shock absorbers.
"Normal" program
The "Normal" program offers control that is bal-
anced between comfort and sportiness.
"Sport" program
Select the "Sport" program if you want consis-
tently sporty control of the shock absorbers.
Selecting a program
Press the EDC button repeatedly:
>"Comfort": LED off:
>"Normal": one LED lights up.
>"Sport": both LEDs light up.
The selected program is stored for the remote
control currently in use and is activated the next
time the engine is started.
Drive-off assistant
The drive-off assistant enables you to drive off
smoothly on uphill gradients. It is not necessary
to use the parking brake for this.
1.Hold the car in place by depressing the
brake.
2.Release the brake and drive off without
delay.The drive-off assistant holds the car in
place for approx. 2 seconds after the
brake is released. Drive off without delay after
releasing the brake. Otherwise, the drive-off
assistant will no longer hold the car in place
after approx. 2 seconds and the car will start to
roll backwards.<
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects pressure loss in a
tire by comparing the rotating speeds of the
individual tires while moving.
In the event of pressure loss, the rolling circum-
ference changes and, thus, the rotating speed
of the affected wheel. This change is detected
and is reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.
The system must be reinitialized each
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage
caused by external factors, nor can it identify
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of
time.<
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Performance-oriented style of driving: slip
in the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration
>Snow chains are attached
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time.

Technology for driving comfort and safety
70 When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically.
Do not initialize the system while snow chains
are attached.<
1.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
2.Press the button for approx. 4 seconds until
the warning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up yellow. Warning lamp, refer to Indi-
cation of a flat tire on page70.
3.Start to drive.
Initialization is completed while the car is
moving, without any feedback.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. In addition, an acoustic sig-
nal sounds. There is a flat tire or sub-
stantial loss of tire pressure.
1.Reduce your speed and carefully stop the
car. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Identify the damaged tire. To do so, check
the tire pressure using the M Mobility Sys-
tem, refer to Producing the tire inflation
pressure on page132.
3.Repair the flat tire with the M Mobility Sys-
tem, refer to page132.
Malfunction
The warning lamps come on in yel-
low. The Flat Tire Monitor has a mal-
function or has failed. Have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible.
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM*
The concept
TPM checks the inflation pressures of the four
mounted tires. The system notifies you if there
is a significant loss of pressure in one or more
tires.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be reset while all tire infla-
tion pressures are correct.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics. Oth-
erwise, the system may malfunction.
Each time a tire inflation pressure has
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been
changed, reset the system.<
System limitations
TPM cannot warn you in advance of sud-
den severe tire damage caused by out-
side influences.<
The system does not work correctly if it has not
been reset; for example, a flat tire may be indi-
cated even though the tire inflation pressures
are correct.
The system is inactive and cannot indicate a flat
tire if a wheel without TPM electronics has been
mounted, or if TPM is temporarily malfunction-
ing due to other systems or devices using the
same radio frequency.
Resetting the system
Each time a tire inflation pressure has
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been
changed, reset the system.<
1.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
2.Press the button for approx. 4 seconds until
the warning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up yellow. Warning lamp, refer to

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
71
Message for low tire inflation pressure on
page71.
3.Start to drive.
After driving a few minutes, the set inflation
pressures in the tires are accepted as the
target values to be monitored. The system
reset is completed during your drive, and
can be interrupted at any time. When driving
resumes, the reset is continued automati-
cally. The indicator lamp goes out after the
system reset is completed.
Message for low tire inflation pressure
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. In addition, a signal sounds.
There is a flat tire or substantial loss
of tire pressure.
1.Reduce your speed and carefully stop the
car. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Identify the damaged tire or tires. To do so,
check the tire pressure using the M Mobility
System, refer to Producing the tire inflation
pressure on page132.
If it is not possible to make an identifi-
cation, contact your BMW center.<
3.Repair the flat tire with the M Mobility Sys-
tem, refer to page131.
Have the tire replaced by a BMW center or a
workshop that is informed in the handling of
TPM and that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.
Malfunction
The small warning lamp flashes in
yellow and then lights up continu-
ously; the larger warning lamp comes
on in yellow. No punctures can be
detected.
This type of message is shown in the following
situations:
>If there is a malfunction
Have the system checked.
>If a wheel without TPM electronics has
been mounted
>If TPM is temporarily malfunctioning due to
other systems or devices using the same
radio frequency.
Message for unsuccessful system
reset
The warning lamp lights up yellow.
The system is not reset after a tire
has been changed, for example.
Check the tire inflation pressure and reset the
system, refer to page70.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Each tire should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. If
your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires. As
an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem, TPMS, that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires are signif-
icantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the
low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly underinflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s han-